I read last night, for what may well be the very last time, at a Temple University-sponsored reading. If it's ever me again on that stage, it will be as a guest of Temple. Hence, not very likely. IN fact, if Temple ever does invite me to read, something verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry odd will be going on in the universe. To be sure, I was drunk when I read, three vodka-tonics in my rotten gut, and friends said that I was weaving at the podium as I read. Sometimes I slurred my speech. But I read a great fucking poem. One of my oldest favorites: Sacrifice. It's about how grad schools Should beat, humiliate, and kill writing students to invoke quality.

Ah, it deserved to be read at that place at that time and in a stupor. Some days you just feel totally confident. I was Horatio Alger!

Today I will go home from work, take a nap and read for pleasure. I'm starting with this month's edition of Fantasy and Science Fiction. I will read slowly, but I will also skip over the boring parts and not be concerned about missing some philosophical pun. I may not even highlight anything. I will be the American-capitalist-consumer-reader, chomping what is sweet and discarding the waste to pollute my future environment.

BE A HELP AND NOT A BURDEN